Ureteral stricture after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Case report and overview of the spectrum of rare side effects of modern ESWL treatment

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is considered a very safe and noninvasive procedure for the treatment of urolithiasis. Achievements in the technical development of recent decades resulted in a continuous reduction of side effects. One of our patients, a woman with cystinuria, developed a temporary ureteral stricture after several sessions of ESWL. Encouraged by this observation we set out to explore - based on a MEDLINE literature search - published reports of more severe side effects observed in modern ESWL therapy. Besides hydronephrosis and renal colic the most common side effects were renal and perirenal hematomas in up to 4% in the larger series. Uncommon extrarenal complications are described mostly in case reports, which are also outlined in this report. The injury of visceral organs (liver, spleen, gut, pancreas) was published most frequently. A rupture or dissection of an abdominal aortic aneurysm as an outstanding serious complication was also reported several times. Taking obvious and well-known contraindications into consideration and carefully preparing the patients for the therapy (i.e., checking hemostasis, drug history), ESWL is a very safe procedure with a low risk of serious complications. Yet, postoperative clinical and ultrasound monitoring seems to be essential especially with respect to the increasing numbers of outpatient procedures.